Scarcity, Sovereignty, Strategy: Mapping the Political Geography of AI Compute

About this episode

As AI systems grow more powerful, the computational infrastructure behind them has become a strategic resource, one that is unevenly distributed across the world. This episode takes a deep look at the three layers of compute sovereignty: where data centers are located, who owns them, and who manufactures the chips that power them. Zoe explains how access to compute has quickly shifted from a technical issue to a core question of economic resilience and sovereignty.

The conversation unpacks new research showing how few countries actually host advanced AI-relevant data centers, and how global dependencies on companies like Nvidia shape strategic decisions. Adarsh and Zoe discuss the implications for countries that are “compute deserts,” the growing push toward sovereign capabilities, and why a binary view of sovereignty is misleading. They also explore how countries are attempting to secure compute, through public investment, regional collaborations, and new transnational initiatives.

Finally, the episode examines the emerging tension between the pursuit of compute sovereignty and the environmental and socioeconomic costs of data centers. As global investments flow into AI infrastructure, Zoe argues for a more grounded, people-centric approach to AI strategy, one that balances access, sustainability, and long-term national priorities amid evolving questions about the future of the AI industry.

Episode Contributors

Adarsh Ranjan is a research analyst at Carnegie India where his research focuses on AI and emerging technologies, digital transformation, and technology partnerships. His current research explores India’s evolving policy on AI compute and digital transformation in Global South countries.

Zoe Jay Hawkins is the co-founder and deputy executive director of the Tech Policy Design Institute. Zoe brings extensive experience designing tech policy from government, big tech, academic and think tank perspectives. Zoe worked for the Australian government across communications, innovation, and foreign policy portfolios, as a ministerial adviser and in the public service. She is a Research Associate at the University of Oxford and an expert researcher for the OECD, having started her career at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute. 

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